Jacobs has the answer against Stevenson
ROCKFORD - Fourth-year Jacobs baseball coach Jamie Murray treats his program like an Advanced Placement course, filling open dates on the schedule with elite-level opponents like Mt. Carmel, Metamora and Mundelein in order to prepare his pupils for exam day.
The biggest test for the program to date came Monday against Stevenson in a Class 4A supersectional at Aviators Stadium, and the Golden Eagles aced it with a 3-1 victory.
Jacobs (29-10) prevailed by relying on its familiar formula of good pitching and solid defense, and it capitalized on an uncharacteristically shaky defensive performance by Stevenson (27-12-1), which committed 5 errors that translated to 3 unearned runs.
After reaching the Elite Eight in 2013 and the Sweet 16 in 2014, Jacobs (29-10) advances to the Final Four in Joliet for the first time.
"To know that we're the only baseball team in school history to go that far is unbelievable," left fielder Stevie Krueger said. "And we hope to win."
The Golden Eagles will face the winner of the Crestwood supersectional between Mt. Carmel and Plainfield North, which was postponed Monday, in a state semifinal at Silver Cross Field on Friday at 3 p.m.
Pitchers Brenden Heiss, Ryan George and Johnny Rohde combined to hold Stevenson to 2 hits, and the Golden Eagles played errorless defense in sharp contrast to the Patriots.
"The baseball gods have a funny way of telling you you don't have it today, and I think that was their way," said Stevenson's Northwestern-bound third baseman, Willie Bourbon, who was charged with 2 errors. "I don't know what it was, if it was just bouncing around or the atmosphere or whatever it was, but we just didn't have it today."
The Golden Eagles drew first blood in the top of the second. Daniel Tenayuca led off with a single and moved to third when a throw to first base on Stevie Krueger's sacrifice bunt sailed high and got down the line, giving Jacobs runners at second and third with no outs.
Sophomore Mike Addante then beat out an infield single, allowing Tenayuca to cross with the first run of the game. It could have been a bigger inning but Bourbon tagged one runner out via a rundown and fired to second to nail another runner who had strayed too far off base. The inning ended when Stevenson starting pitcher Tyler Pauly induced a flyball from Ryan Sargent to center field with the bases loaded.
The Pats evened the score in the bottom of the third. No. 9 hitter Dylan Molek led off with a walk and Heiss issued another free pass to Bourbon with two outs. Robert McGaha cashed in by lining a single to right field to score Molek from second with the tying run.
Jacobs took the lead for good in its next at-bat with the help of 2 walks and more Stevenson miscues. The bases were loaded with 2 outs due to 2 walks and an error when Sargent sent a groundball to shortstop. However, the ball was misplayed for an error, allowing Krueger to score for a 2-1 lead.
"A couple of errors on them and we were fortunate to capitalize on that and that was it," Murray said.
Jacobs added an insurance run in the fifth. With Krueger at second after a fielder's choice and an error, Addante again beat out a groundball for an infield hit. Krueger never stopped running on the play and slid head first without a throw to make it 3-1.
"Since they weren't making the plays we took advantage," Krueger said. "We got the lead and stuck with it."
"Obviously, it looked like we were a little tight," Stevenson coach Paul Mazzuca said. "Congratulations to Jacobs. They pitched and made the plays when they needed to and we didn't. It was atypical Stevenson defense. It's just unfortunate that it happened today."
The Patriots had runners at first and second in the bottom of the sixth, but George struck out the last man he faced to end the threat.
The baton then passed to Rohde, who issued a two-out walk but otherwise struck out the side to notch his 12th save in 13 attempts.
"I was feeling a little nervous. It was the first time I've had that feeling," Rohde said. "I just came in and I knew to throw hard. It just felt great."
Winning pitcher Heiss (3-2) allowed an earned run on 2 hits and 4 walks and struck out 1 in 3 innings. George did not allow a hit in 3 scoreless innings. He walked 1 and struck out 3.
Pauly allowed 2 unearned runs on 4 hits, and Justin Stark limited Jacobs to 2 hits in 4 scoreless innings to keep the Patriots in the game. However, the magical postseason run came to an end for Stevenson.
"What they accomplished is just incredible," Bourbon said of his teammates, "the way we came together and made this run at the very end. It's just unbelievable and says a lot about this team and the kind of people they are and what kind of players they are. They're all competitors, and I think that helped us in the very end."